U.S. Rep. John Kline, the chairman of the House Education and the Workforce Committee, finally came out and said what we all pretty much guessed: A rewrite of No Child Left Behind isn’t going to happen anytime soon.

The Minnesota Republican gave Congress “no chance” of meeting the August deadline Education Secretary Arne Duncan has set for reauthorizing the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.

Apparently, Congress is not swayed by Duncan’s argument that if they do nothing, then 82 percent of schools could be labeled “failing” this year under NCLB.

Waivers, anyone?

Justin Hamilton, a spokesman for the department, told me this morning that Duncan and his staff are “worried” that they’re running out of time to reauthorize ESEA this year.

So will Duncan, who just rejected an AYP waiver from Kansas, finally start to talk about the waivers the department will grant to give states relief under NCLB? Hamilton wouldn’t answer the question directly, but certainly hinted so. “We’re committed to fundamentally changing education ... this year with all the tools we have available.”